Process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation



Patented Jan. 16, 1934l PROCESS 0F CONCENTBATING 0RE8 AND MINERALS BY FLOTATION William A. Dough, Penna Grove, N. 1.. nl-

aignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours C0 Wilminlto n, Del., a corporation o! Edam No Drawing. Application Febmry as, 1925 am No. 112589 'ihis invention relatos to the concentration of ceiiaoin ores and eroici by iotation ond on prises more iomiaicuioriy the comcenimtioio oi sucio. ores omi miiiomis ivy no@ oi o new cios@ i of orgonic iioiotioii momma.

.it imo new shown izo; @si-yi@ im U. iii. i,5i?,i3ii timori iai-ic Ty micio-i ooiio ooid orc ociiiiimioio iii o iioiicoiii oi oiiwaimc polio. mimi; moo om ai io to imm/e o mmizeii sciooiivo ociaioii on ciiiiiiiic: miiu omis, ris ciisimuisiicci from anni como iii@ s'iiiiioie minerais, io @ooi om, oiiendomi iiiisii isocovciw oi moi-,oi voiuoo Botii iii@ iieovy mami imei moioi oi ,iiiic .15 mnthic ocio wiiiic oi wooiiooiiomcci vciiio mi iio station agonisoio opcii ifo ooiioim oiiiociiom im i'cspeci: to purity omi oiasiiiiiiiy, Omo object oi my invention is io ,movido ciaiss oi notation agonia. Tv'iiicio noi', com mowooo Q0 the good fiotoiiom pi'owciiies Tcoiiiizim from iii@ piescnco of tino oiieimcoiiy Toooiivo iioiiisioic ocirfi group, but which om ciiomicoiiy oiioioiii fiom; omi have pirooci'tics @Quoi io or hciioi iiioii 'iiioco possessed by, iii@ iicow mmol of .Tioioiiiic 25 ocici. ii/ioicovci" i iicvc ioiinii ii; poosii'iio io ioifo duce compounds oi this imo@ in volvi? oiiiooaoio mici, in somo coso@ iii iii@ imam oi iioiiico oi; oiciinmy iscmpcroimos.

i iiovo diocovcicci tim@ viiiiioiic oifgomio mii 3o tintos, as distinguished :imm mcioi ii' comiiiruio oiooiiem iotoiioii amonio mi the dosiioioio properties syocciiicii moco. new organic xanthoio iioioiiom. Mooi@ imo@ iii commi o moiccuioi' oiiiiiciwo indico-imi iii? 35 ioiiowimg typo fomiiiio:

i. iiiiwi miiiiioico.

iii-io mcmioom oi iiiio cioo' iiiwo (fio imc ioi'iiiiiio iimi--iliW-W Wiicic ii omi R sono iii@ como oi oiiioiomi oiimi gi'oum. Soccic ciiomoioc .of this ciooo om:

55 Eiiwi maior oi ciiiyimomiiiic ocio, wiicmm- Caii iiuiyi @sioni oi oiiiyiwimiiiic ociii,

Times@ compounds con ivo modo Toy ociioii iii oi iii@ opm'ooi'ioio oi chimio@ oir oiiwiomo iii im. ZGB-,168)

chloride on sodium ethyi-xanthato (sco Debus. Liebigo mmaion, Voi. '15, i?. 127 (1350)); or by the action of iii@ opproorioto @Limi ioromiiic or oiizylem ziiioromiiio iiiioi; is. otiwi biomioio,

ii-ioiityi ioromicio, omo. oiiwiomc dimomioio) woon il. iicyi xoioiiiioioo., I

oomiiiiiiiiom iiio oocoiiii cimas oi my iioioiiom iiwo isiio ici@ iowiiorg commi im@ ioiiiiiiiio:

iiimJU-miti wiioio R ioboiccomio om oiiti'fi momo, omi -i :ffii ii?. ocyi Tooiicoi, iii ifoiioociiiim: oiiiioi iwiiioiicii mciicoi oi o ciiiooiiiiiioii imooiioiiioicci iiimiio coiioom Tooiiciii.. iiiiociiiio ozfioiiiiioioo oi iiiiii oiooo ooo: V

moimoi'i oiiiuyimmoiiioio iiooigoi oiiTiTi-if @om Tilo method oi iiiciooimimi: iiicso omi Tioiiiiioi/oc mow ioc iiiiioiiroiooi iw iii@ ioiiowimi oiiomloio:

iiii momo oi" iioii'oyi ciiioiieio iiioooivooi iii c. c. oi iooimoiio, omi iiiiir @Toms oi poioosium cihyi-miiioic im iioi c, c. oi csiici omo ooiiicozi. mici oiiooiom iii@ mimmo io iiioiiii wiih iiooiicmi; oitoiiom 'ioi ooioiioi cioyol, iiio iii'ocipiioioci imo-Loo iii.

dii

slum chloride is filtered on, and the filtrate evaporated first in a desiccator and then under vacuum by meansA of a hot water bath. By following this procedure there may be obtained 150 grams of benzoyl ethyl-xanthate having a purity between 83 and 84%, as shown by total sulfur analysis.

When tested as a. flotation agent, benzoyl ethylnanthate gave the following results when tested in the manner previously described with ore from the Phelps Dodge Corporation:

% copper in heads 1.4i',

copper in rougher concentrate 7.55 copper in rougher tailing .23

% copper recovered in concentrate 86.9

3. anthyl suldes: g

important flotation agents of this class of compounds are the sulfocarballroxyl disulfides such as sulfocarbethoxyl disuliide (that is, ethylxanthyl disulfide), sulfocarbornethoxyl disulfide, etc., having the general line formula:

where R and R represent the same or diilerent hydrocarbon radicals, especially alkyl radicals. This class includes also the corresponding xanthyl monosuldes (that is, xanthic acid anhydrides) such as ethyl-xanthyl monosulde,

% copper in heads isili copper in rougher concentrate 5.96 copper in rougher tailings .lil

% of copper recovered in concentrate 89.9

Although my flotation agents` are eilective to n certain extent in an acid pulp, much better results are obtained by operating with a nonacid pulp. that is, one which has been rendered neutral or alkaline, preferably with lime. A frothing agent, as for example terpineol, is also, ordinarily, necessary, since my new notation agents have little, ii' any, frothing power.

' The xantbyl disulfides described above may be readily prepared by the action of a halogen or other suitable oxidizing agent upon a salt of xanthic acid such as sodium xanthate. A good method for preparing these disuliides, and specifically the n-butyl-xanthyl disulfide, is given by Adams in his U. S. Patent No. 1,491,021. According to that patent sodium hydroxide is mixed with carbon disulnde in approximately molecular proportions, while cooling, just enough water being added to permit the caustic soda to dissolve; the reaction mass is then chlorinated at about 40-50u C., the oil formed being removed. The product of this reaction is n-butyl-xanthyl disulfide.

Although my invention has been described with reference to certain speelde examples, it will be understood that my invention is not limited to these examples, but Imay be modified in various respects without departing from the scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: i

l. In the processo! concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth dotation operation in the presence of a xanthyl disulde.

fi. In the process of concentrating ores and @d i minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a dotation operation in the presence of an acyl derivative of an alkyl xanthate.

5. in the process of concentrating ores and minerals by notation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form oi a pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of an ester of a xanthic acid.

6. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form o1. a pulp to a froth :flotation operation in the presence of an ester of an alkyl-xanthic acid.

7. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which com-prises subjecting the oreA in the form of a pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence oi a suliocarboxyl sulfide.

8. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to Aa froth flotation operation in the presence of a sulfocarbalkoxyl sulde.

9. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by dotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth notation operation in the presence of an ethylxanthyl disulfide.

10. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in they form of a pulp to a froth dotation operation in the presence of an acyl alkyi-xanthate.

11. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth notation operation in the presence of a substance whose molecular structure is that indicated by the following general formula:

Rf-O-C(:S)S-X where R is a hydrocarbon radical, and X is a radical containing at least one carbon atom.

12. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises 135 subjecting the ore in the form of a non-acid pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of a substance whose molecular structure is that indicated by the following general formula:

where R is a hydrocarbon radical, and X is a radical containing at least one carbon atom.

13. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step uwhich comprises 145 subjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of a substance whose molecular structure is that indicated by the following general formula:

where R is an aliphatic radical, and X is a radical containing a carbon atom.

14. IIn the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of a substance whose molecular structure is that indi- .cated by the following general formula:

where R is an aliphatic radical, and X is a radical containing both sulfur and carbon atoms.

l5. In the process of` concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of an ester of a xanthic acid.

i6. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises rsubjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth notation operation in the presence of an acyl derivative of an alkyl-Xanthic acid.

i7. In the process of concentrating `ores and minerals by notation. the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of an acetyl alkyl-xanthate.

i3. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by notation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth notation operation in the presence of an ethyl alkyl-xanthate.

19` In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of an alkaline pulp to a froth notation operation in the presence of an alkyl-xanthyl disulfide. i

20. Inrthe process of concentrating ores and minerals by notation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of an acyl alkyl xanthate in a non-alkaline medium.

21. In the processor concentrating ores and minerals by notation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a non-acid pulp to a froth'` flotation operation in the presence of acetyl ethyl xanthate.

. 2,2. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a non-acid pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of an alkyl xanthyl disulphide.

23. The process of concentrating ores which consists in agitating a pulp of the ore with clixanthogen under such conditions that a mineralbearing froth is formed, and separating the iroth.

24. The process of concentrating ores which consists in agitating a pulp of the ore with dixanthogen in the presence of a mineral-nothing agent so as to produce a mineral-bearing froth, and separating the froth. K

25. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by notation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth rlotation operation in the presence of a xanthyl sulfide.

26. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence `of the product obtained by the reaction of a halogen upon'an alkali metal xanthate.

27. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth notation operation inthe presence of the product obtained by the reaction of an alkyl halide upon an alkali metal alkyl xanthate.

28. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which .comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a froth flotation operation in the presence of the product obtained by the reaction of an acyl halide upon an alkali metal alkyl Xanthate.

WILLIAM A. DOUGLASS. 

